The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is proud to announce an addition to Illinois State University’s speech-language pathology program, Ciera Lorio.

Lorio received her B.S. in communicative disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, her M.S. in communication sciences and disorders from Bowling Green State University, and her Ph.D. in communication sciences and disorders from Florida State University.

Lorio is currently a doctoral candidate at Florida State University. Her dissertation focuses on the use of reflection as a caregiver coaching strategy in early intervention for infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities. She is analyzing ways in which early interventionists promote reflection in caregivers, with a focus on family priorities and successful caregiver implementation of intervention strategies with children.

While working as a speech-language pathologist in the schools, Lorio became interested in strategies to support teachers and caregivers in intervention implementation in schools and home settings. Although, barriers were limiting the ability for collaborative measures to provide such supports for children with communication disorders.

She is interested in researching how to break down these barriers and evaluating methods of professional development and coaching for speech-language pathologists, teachers, and caregivers to better support children in meeting their communication goals. Lorio is specifically interested in studying strategies to support teachers and caregivers in their use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems as well as interventions targeting language, literacy, and social development for young children with communication disorders.

Lorio will be teaching Spoken and Written Language Development, Introduction to Language Disorders, and Language and Literacy at Illinois State University. CSD looks forward to the expertise Lorio brings to the department.